NEWSLETTER October 2016

Volume 11 Issue #10 CLUB NEWS

October 4 Orchid Events. There are several Florida orchid shows SAOS Meeting this month as listed on the website. [email protected] Show Table Review. Courtney Hackney started the table discussion with Harry McElroy’s huge Lc. Ditto Head Welcome and Thanks. (Peggy Huffman x Lisa Ann) that as a mature plant is just President Bob Schimmel spectacular in full bloom with 3-4 flowers per stem. Because opened the meeting at 7:15 of its size, Harry has it in a non-traditional pot anchored pm with 50 attendees. Bob with a surrounding collar of concrete. The table had a good thanked Jeannette along example of older orchid clones and Courtney started with with Sophia Gay, Elaine one from the early 1900’s, Bc. Mrs. J. Leemann, a cross Hardy and Dottie Sullivan between Brassavola digbyana and Cattleya dowiana. It is for the refreshments while fragrant but the flowers don’t last long. Next he discussed

reminding all to drop the classic Cattleya clone from 1945, called Bow Bells Roy Tokunaga a dollar in the jar. We ‘Elzada‘ AM/AOS (Edithiae x Suzanne Hye), a prime welcomed new member example of an old white corsage type orchid. Linda Roberts who joined using the new PayPal link on He then talked about two coeruleas, the Lc. Purple the website. Purity (Purity x purpurata) and the classic Lc. Blue Boy Our Membership Veep, Linda Stewart, recognized our ‘Gainesborough’ HCC/AOS, a cross between C. Ariel x Lc. two October birthday people with free raffle tickets. Bob Elegans and one of the first hybrids to really have a blue informed all that the Best of Show voting would occur color. If you are interested in these older cultivars, borrow between the Show Table discussion and program and Courtney’s book American Cattleyas from the library, we encouraged all to remember to vote for their favorite orchid. have two copies now! An example of an easy to grow orchid is the B. Little Stars, Club Business. The October 22nd Keiki Club will be a a primary nodosa hybrid with cordata, that Roy continues trip to the Orchtoberfest at EFG Orchids, 4265 Marsh Rd, to offer. They require high to medium light and provide DeLand, FL 32724. Email Mary at keiki@staugorchidsociety. your growing space with a wonderful aroma. Another org to make arrangements for ride shares. beauty was the Cattleya Tripp Johnston whose flower is full The Ace Repotting Clinic is done for the year, clinics will of chocolate spots, so many that the petals appear almost resume in February of 2017. black with a brilliant pink lip. This plant is a bifoliate that Email Sue Bottom ([email protected]) if you need some growers struggle to grow because it likes to be drier potting supplies, special quantities or different items and and resents repotting unless new roots are forming. she will bring them to the next meeting for purchase. Courtney then held up a Miltassia Shelob ‘Red Spider’ Yvonne Schimmel, filling in for SAOS Librarian Penny which is an intergeneric between Brassia and Miltonia Halyburton, brought in Courtney Hackney’s book on and quite easy to grow. The flowers are spidery shaped American Cattleyas for sharing. Check out the club’s library hence the name. Check out the photos of our show table collection on the website and email Penny (librarian@ examples at the end of the newsletter and on the SAOS staugorchidsociety.org) your request and she will bring the website. item(s) to the next meeting. Our AOS Representative, Suzanne SAOS Program. Courtney Hackney introduced Roy Susko shared the latest AOS Orchids Tokunaga from H & R Nurseries in Hawaii who proceeded magazine and pointed out the Orchid to describe the rather large genus, Dendrobiums. The Slipper Symposium information on the word itself means Tree Life and this large genus is divided back cover. This event will be held in into several sections. Roy showed a slide explaining the Apopka, FL in conjunction with the Krull- one similarity that links all of these sections together; all Smith nursery on Nov. 5. Continued on page 3

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20-22 Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society Show War Memorial Auditorium February 4 SAOS at Ace Hardware, 9 am til 1 pm 3050 US 1 S in St. Augustine Repotting and Plant Clinic Upcoming Orchid Events 4-5 Venice Area Orchid Society Show October Venice Community Center 8-9 Fort Pierce Orchid Society Show 7 SAOS Meeting, 7 pm Fort Pierce Shrine Club Unusual and Natural Mounts 11 JOS Meeting, TBA, 7 pm Tom Kuligowski, Angraecum Blog Roy Tokunaga, H & R Nurseries 11-12 Boca Raton Orchid Society Show 21-23 Orchtoberbest at EFG Orchids Safe Schools Institute 4265 Marsh Road, Deland 32724 14 JOS Meeting, Topic TBA, 7 pm 22-23 Gainesville Orchid Society Show Speaker TBA Kanapaha Botanical Garden 28-30 Delray Beach Orchid Society Show St. Augustine Orchid Society Organization Old School Square Gymnasium. November President Bob Schimmel [email protected] 1 SAOS Meeting, 7 pm Bulbophyllums Vice President Linda Stewart John Budree, Orchid Hobbyist and Grower Membership [email protected] 5 Annual Slipper Orchid Symposium Highland Manor, Apopka Vice President Sue Bottom 8 JOS Meeting, Topic Blue Cattleyas, 7 pm Programs [email protected] Courtney Hackney, Hackneau Art & Orchids Vice President Yvonne Schimmel December Publicity [email protected] 4 JOS Christmas Auction Secretary Janis Croft Jacksonville Golf & Country Club [email protected] 3985 Hunt Club Road, JAX 32224 6 SAOS Christmas Auction, 6 pm Treasurer Bill Gourley We’re meeting on our normal Tuesday night but at a [email protected] new location and starting earlier! Memorial Lutheran Church Directors at Large Dianne Batchelder 3375 US 1 South, St. Aug 32086 [email protected] Mary Colee January [email protected] 3 SAOS Meeting, 7 pm Suzanne Susko [email protected] How to Grow Orchids in St. Augustine Suzanne Susko, St. Aug Orchid Society Exhibit Committee Janis Croft 7-8 Sarasota Orchid Society Show Chair [email protected] Sarasota Municipal Auditorium 10 JOS Meeting, Topic TBA, 7 pm Librarian Penny Halyburton Speaker TBA [email protected] 13-15 Tamiami International Orchid Festival Dade County Fair Expo Center Newsletter Editors Sue and Terry Bottom 15 Keiki Club for Orchid Beginners, 1 pm Webmasters [email protected] Staking Your Orchids Operations Committee Jeanette Smith Charles and Kathy Young Chair [email protected] 160 West Genung St, St. Aug 32086

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Continued from page 1 as 20 degrees but typically need three weeks of 50 or below in the winter. They are hard cane, evergreen and fragrant. have a spur lip attached to the base of the column and Den. speciosum and Den. kingianum are examples. all Dendrobiums have a Mentum to which the sepals are Section Rhizobium dendrobiums are also found in attached. Australia and like cacti are characterized by thick and Due to his location, Roy grows under shade cloth and his fleshy or leathery leaves that are often terete form. They plants get on average 40 inches of rain each year. So all tend to be mostly small plants like the Den. toressae. of his plants have to be able to grow in rainy conditions. Section Oxyglossum is one grouping that Roy suggests He also rarely gets cool evenings with maybe 4 or 5 nights we generally avoid because they are cooler growers, below 59 F. A member of the audience who has visited Roy except for the species bracteosum and its hybrids. Most several times commented that his nursery is the cleanest are beautiful miniatures, requiring intermediate to cool he has ever seen with all of his employees knowing to pick conditions and are bird pollinated. up any dead leaf or debris that they see daily. Section Latouria has 50 species and he has specialized in There are over 1000-1200 species divided into hybridizing within this group. They need lots of water and approximately 40 sections. Dendrobiums are from his slide example, Den. convolutum blooms year round. southeastern Asia ranging from Japan to northern New Roy shared a tip that he stops fertilizing with ammonia Zealand and from Tahiti to India. One unique thing is and urea (because they interrupt flowering) using nitrate that they don’t all easily hybridize with others in different based fertilizers instead during the flowering season. He sections, unlike many orchids such as the different varieties crossed Den. johnsoniae with Den. atroviolaceum to get of cattleyas. Roy creates his hybrids with close attention to Den. Roy Tokunaga, one of his best crosses for producing genetics often using tetraploids to help ensure the progeny white flowers. are more uniform and of good quality. In general, you Section Formosae is unique with all of its little black hairs will enjoy success with dendrobiums if you provide good on inflorescences, flowers and seed pods. He recommends aeration and drainage. growing them like vandas with heavy summer fertilizing Roy then showed slides of orchids representing some of and bright light. Den. dearei and Dendrobium infundibulum the sections more commonly offered for the hobbyist: are two examples. Phalaenthe section dendrobiums consist of 6 or 7 species Section Callista dendrobiums have hard canes and also that tend to bloom in the fall with spectacular waterfall effect require three weeks of cooler temps below 59. They don’t on the inflorescences, e.g. the hybrid Den. Little Diamond. require drying out however. They are typically spring Spatulata section dendrobiums consist of approximately blooming, showey plants like the Dendrobium lindleyi 50 species each with their waxy, curly petals which have (aggregatum). given them the “antelope orchid” nickname. The flowers In summary, Roy reminded us to provide good drainage, are long lasting and with high light requirements, will grow have a medium pH between 5 and 6, and regularly flush quite tall. Roy’s slide of Den. stratiotes was 6 ft tall. These the root zone with water to minimize the accumulation tall plants are good for outdoor gardeners in more tropical of toxic salts in the pots. The Pedilonum and soft cane climates. If you want to control the height, Roy suggests sections need to drop leaves for flowering and the Nobile pinching the cane off at the height you like and flowers will and Dendrocoryne sections need three weeks of cool come below that cut. temperatures but don’t need severe drying out. Section Dendrobium is also called the soft cane dendrobiums or the nobile and seminobile group, consisting Meeting Conclusion. Harry McElroy announced that of over 30 species, all of which require 3-4 weeks of cool the Member’s Choice was awarded to his Lc. Ditto Head, (below 59 degrees) weather. This causes them to drop their spectacular plant! The raffle closed out the evening. leaves which is a requirement for flowering subsequently. Thanks to those that volunteered to stay and clean up the Some examples are Den. unicum, Den. Golden Aya and room. Den. anosmum. Section Pedilonum dendrobiums like drier winters to induce leaf drop and subsequent flowering. This section needs bright sunlight with less fertilizer than other varieties. Thanks to Watson Realty They are also pollinated by birds which is why they are so and Jeanette Smith for the brilliant in color. Roy told us that the most brilliant colored use of their meeting space orchids are typically bird pollinated. at 3505 US 1 South Section Dendrocoryne dendrobiums are from Australia and can grow in full sunlight. They can take temps as low

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September 18 Keiki Club Keiki Club on October 22 Getting the Orchids Ready for Winter Field Trip to Orchtoberfest at EFG in Deland

About a dozen SAOS members met up at the Dianne and We’re planning field trips to EFG Orchids in Deland for Drake Batchelder’s home to talk about fall preparations. their Orchtoberfest on Saturday October 22. EFG Orchids Mary Colee led the discussion on some things to consider is a commercial orchid and tropicals grower, owned by while you prepare for the winter cool weather. George Hausermann Jr. originally of Chicago and fourth There are lots of critters that live outdoors that are not generation orchid grower. Orchids and tropical plants will welcome in your home. Cockroaches, ants, etc. often be offered for sale by EFG and the vendors participating in take up residence in orchid pots while they are summering the event. The Hausermann clan will be busy preparing all outdoors. You can dunk the pots in water to get these the German food they will have for sale, like brats, German creatures to show themselves, but sometimes you just potato salad and more, including German beer! For float the potting medium out of the pot during the dunk. those that want to carpool, contact Keiki Club Coordinator Consider applying an appropriate pesticide to chase these Mary Colee by phone at 669-8760 or via email at keiki@ pests away. Pour a solution of Sevin (1 tsp/gallon) or try staugorchidsociety.org. one of the imidacloprid products (1/4 cup/gallon of the 0.074% strength product). Formulate your winter plan well ahead of the date you have to execute it. You can categorize your plants into three broad groups. The least cold tolerant are the big two toned vandas, many phalaenopsis and the phalaenopsis type dendrobiums. In general these should all be in their winter homes by around November 15, with your goal being to protect them from temperatures below 60F. The phals like a brief chilling to around 55F to encourage them to set their flower spikes. Most other orchids like cattleyas, oncidiums, Latouria and Spatulata type dendrobiums, and stanhopeas are cold tolerant down to about 45 or 50F. You can either bring the plants in and out when temperatures fluctuate below these trigger points, or simply move them to their winter homes once the nighttime temperatures drop below 50F. November Monthly SAOS Meeting There are cold tolerant orchids that are happy outdoors Bulbophyllums, John Budree during cold nights. The nobile and seminobile (Dendrobium section), Callista and Dendrocoryne section dendrobiums Orchid hobbyist John Budree will talk about Bulbophyllums and cymbidiums are fine outdoors in the mid to upper at the November meeting. Bulbophyllums are largest thirties. To be safe, grow these outdoors until nighttime genus within the Orchid family tree, with over 2000 species. temperatures are projected to drop below 40F. Equally The flowers are very unique and generally have strong important is to discontinue fertilizing and cut way back on odors which are made to attract their main pollinators, flies. watering those dendrobiums that enjoy a coolish, dryish Some produce single blooms which last only a few days winter. and others have sequential stems with an ongoing show The question everyone asks is what kind of dendrobium of blooms. do I have and what are its temperature requirements. If it is John was born in Trinidad and moved to Florida about a species, you can check spreadsheet on Culture by Genus fifteen years ago. In Trinidad, he grew many different types page of the website for guidelines. If it is a hybrid, you may of orchids and took part in collecting and displaying them have to learn something about its background to guess at at many shows. When he came to Florida, he got involved its cold tolerance. Once you learn its requirements, you with orchids on a different level. Here, he was able to grow can use different color tags to note whether it requires all of those plants he could only read about and even meet protection at 40, 50 or 60F. Learn more about Dendrobiums all of the growers and experts who wrote the articles that he at the October meeting when world renowned grower and had read in AOS magazines. Orchids will be available on hybridizer Roy Tokunaga talks about the different types the sales and raffle tables. Friends and guests are always and how to grow them. welcome.

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Den. Love Memory ‘Fit’

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Orchid Questions & Answers by Sue Bottom, [email protected]

Q1. I have discovered these small mushroom-like things growing in the dirt with my Q3. I have a very large vanda orchid that has three medium orchid. I’ve had this orchid in sized keikis. I got the mother plant 2 years ago when it was the same dirt and pot for 2 yrs in bloom. Since then it has produced no new leaves or and never had them before. flower spikes. This seems unusual to me because all my What should I do? other vandas are constantly producing a new leaf or flower spike. However, it easily produced these 3 keikis, which are thriving. I am concerned that the mother plant may be spending all its energy on the keikis and not on its own growth, since its leaves look a dark dull green, whereas the keikis are bright green and healthy. I would like to remove the top keiki, which now has 15 leaves and is about 15” tall, but it has no roots. What do you suggest? Q 3

Q 1

A1. Repot immediately! Your mix is rotting, that’s why the sporing body of the fungus (the mushroom) has appeared on the top of your mix. When you knock the plant out of the pot, I suspect you will see that your roots are also rotting.

Q2. I came home from work today and noticed the bottom leaf was yellow/green and was filled with a liquid, then it fell off of the orchid. I last checked the orchid yesterday, A3. I would not remove the top keiki, with no roots it will and didn’t notice anything wrong. My orchids sit on my simply perish. The keiki should have at least three roots to indoor ledge, and I have the curtains opened for them to be able to sustain itself before separating it from the mother get sunlight. What next? plant, and some folks believe the keiki should also bloom before separation as a sign of its maturity. A2. That is bacterial With the three keikis growing and the mother plant treading soft rot caused by water, I wonder if your plant isn’t telling you that its survival Erwinia (now called and its future are in the keikis. More than once I have cut Pectobacterium). away the mother plant leaving the keikis in the bottom of Immediately remove the the basket to grow up and bloom, and either given the leaf, spray or drench the mother plant away or tied it to a hook. It often seems that leaves with peroxide, the keikis are healthier, happier and more attractive than consider spraying with a the mother plant. copper compound. It is a Q 2 If you were to cut away the mother plant, check out the very fast moving bacterial stem as an indication of its health, looking to see if it has rot that will kill the plant if become woody (is dying) or if it has the red band around it reaches the crown. It moves very quickly and can kill a the edges (has fusarium which is blocking the vascular plant in one or two days. tissue).

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Common Orchid tells you to use a higher dosage. Some of the hormonal Growing Mistakes pesticides do prescribe lower concentrations after an initial treatment. Courtney’s Orchid Growing Tips Another sometimes fatal error orchid hobbyists make is to change growing media because they see well grown “Do no harm” is a basic orchids in some new medium. This often happens to tenant of the medical relatively new hobbyists after purchasing plants from a profession that many orchid commercial nursery or a visiting speaker. The mistake is hobbyists would be wise to to immediately repot every orchid into this “new medium”. adopt. A large number of In most cases, the results are disastrous. There is much to orchids I see in my travels learn by examining the growing medium of a commercial suffered premature deaths grower or very successful amateur. But remember that their or injury, largely because success is specific to a set of growing conditions that may of a misinformed attempt be very different from yours. In some cases, plants growing to help the orchid grow. The following is a list assembled poorly at commercial nurseries are discarded, leaving the from my experience with other growers and from my own impression that all orchids grow well in this new medium. mistakes. Some groups of orchids grow well in one medium, but not in another. “My orchids get the best water money can buy.” My first question of the novice holding a shriveled, dead orchid is There is nothing wrong with experimenting with a medium about their water. One person even admitted that she had and evaluating how well your plants grow in that medium, a water softener installed for her orchid because she knew but avoid a wholesale conversion to a new medium. The her water was “hard”. Hard or mineral laden water may not most surprised individual is the novice grower that brings be ideal, but softened water introduces salts that are toxic their plant in and asks what they should do to their orchid. to orchids and typically lethal within a few weeks. Typically, their “problem” orchid has outgrown the pot, has roots going everywhere, and shows signs of having Another common mistake is to over-fertilize based on bloomed repeatedly. There is also usually an admission the conclusion that a poorly growing orchid needs more by the grower that they have neglected this “poor” orchid, fertilizer. If overwatering is the number one killer of orchid but are determined to take better care of it next year. In plants, over fertilizing is number two. Fertilizers are nutrient other words, they have “done no harm” and the orchid has salts that plants require along with water and light to grow. thrived. Recently purchased orchids that have a good root system do not require much in the way of fertilizer. Often, these Note: Dr. Courtney Hackney wrote a monthly column of plants have been grown quickly in commercial nurseries his orchid growing tips for about 20 years, we’re reprinting by maximizing light, water, and fertilizer. In the home some you might have missed, this one from October 2006. environment, light is typically limiting and the medium contains all the nutrients the orchid needs in the short term. More often, the orchid pot needs to be flushed thoroughly with water occasionally to remove nutrients and to keep roots healthy.

Some pesticide and fungicide warning labels seem to state the obvious, e.g. “do not drink this product”. Who would do such a thing? After fielding questions about pests, pesticides and orchids, I realize that no warning is too simple. Read the warning label carefully for both your own safety and the health of your orchids. The most common orchid-related pest problem seems to be overdosing and under dosing with pesticides. If the label calls for one teaspoon per gallon, use exactly that amount. Just because a scale infestation was “really bad” does not mean the concentration should be higher unless the label

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Orchids Outside the Pot cayed or a threat to those roots, let the plant grow and at- by Sue Bottom, [email protected] tach its roots to the outside of the pot. Often you can use a double wire hanger and hang the plant to keep it from becoming unmanageable and spilling out over your bench. You’ll basically have a plant growing as a mount on the outside of the pot. There are some plants that are better suited to growing outside the pot than others. The plant must have a strong bulb and flower stem to support the flowers because staking them is problematic. The Bras- savolas, Rhyncholaelias and smallish, crawling Cattleyas like C. aclandiae, C.schilleriana, C. violacea and C. walke- riana are good candidates for growing on the outside of the pot.

This Rl. digbyana grows mostly on the outside of the pot and usually has 12 to 14 blooms in the spring. Sometimes cattleyas get away from you. It’s a bulb or two out of the pot but that latest bulb has a sheath and you don’t want to disrupt the blooming cycle. Then you get busy with something else and before you know it, the plant is growing along the outside of the pot. You know how much damage you’ll do to the root system if you try to The roots are happily attached to the outside of the clay pot which is separate the plant from the pot and you don’t really want to hanging from a two wire hanger for stability. It’s been growing this way for break the pot…so now what can you do? more than three years. But someday… You have many choices, but the easiest thing is to just This approach works best when the growths are all orient- leave it alone. Let it grow out of the pot if that’s what it ed upwards so the plant and the flowers will present them- wants to do. As long as the media inside the pot isn’t de- selves well. I had one cattleya that bloomed fine on the last growth, but the youngest growth decided to grow straight downward. It was sort of an interesting novelty but after it bloomed out and started to send out new roots it was time for surgery. The back part of the plant was old and tired and the young part of the plant was growing every which way. It ended up going into a pot but it will take a while for it to readjust to inside pot culture. Perhaps it would have been better to mount it on a plaque. Sometimes you can take a plant overgrowing its pot and drop it in a large wire basket. As long as the roots are growing well and the media is not decaying or becoming too salty, there is no reason to repot the plant and force it to have to recover from the trauma of transplant shock. It may not be the most attractive way to present the plant, but it will grow and bloom in the basket and the foliage and This Ctt. (Lc.) Acker’s Spotlight ‘Pink Jewel’ HCC/AOS blooms two or three flowers will partially hide the basket. times each summer. It is a vigorous grower than has enough substance to If hanging space is limited, you can also drop a pot in a present itself and its flowers well with no staking. larger pot to stabilize it. This works particularly well for bi- Continued on page 9

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Continued from page 8 foliate cattleyas that resent repotting unless the new roots are just starting to emerge from the growth. If the rhizome has started growing along the outside of the pot, simply choose a large enough pot and tilt the pot containing the plant so it is stable in the pot.

Keith Davis has an almost foolproof way of propagating the difficult to repot bifoliates, as with this blooming C. leopoldii var. alba.

The plant has outgrown the second pot. It could be dropped into a third pot, but sometimes you just have to break down and carve up the plant.

Dropping an overgrown plant into a larger pot is an easy way to solve a short term repotting problem, but it is also a “pay me now or pay me later” situation. You are trading off an hour or so of hard labor removing the overgrown plant from the pot and resituating it in its new home for a more difficult repotting experience a year or three from now. The more overgrown the pot, the more likely the inevitable re- potting will require radical surgery. If your goal is to grow a specimen plant or you have a plant that is finicky about re- potting, by all means emulate the Russian matryoshka doll. Cattleya connoisseur and hybridizer Keith Davis offers Keith attaches the next generation’s pot to the mother’s pot using twist ties to hold them together and at the proper elevation. a practical approach for repotting bifoliates that often sulk after their roots are disturbed: tie through the holes and around the appropriate bulbs so that it is held up. Here is the most fool-proof way to propagate difficult and If I put in any mix in the new pot, as with this one, I fill the rare bifoliates. This can be done any time, but just so hap- bottom with broken peanuts, not whole ones, then add a pens that new roots are poking out and a new eye is swell- very airy mix part way up. Once I see old roots branching ing. In a couple of years when the 5 in pot fills completely and new roots reaching down into the pot about 2 inches, with roots, it can be cut loose and will be totally established then I can fill the pot with mix. with no stress or worry about losing it. I wet the aerial roots until they are saturated, then sit down There’s really no limit to how many times you can drop and very carefully loosen them from the mother plant’s pot a smaller pot into a larger pot as long as the roots inside outside edge. At that point, I can very carefully slide the the older pot are not compromised. The approach works kid’s pot upwards with the roots going into the pot. Being best for a plant growing in multiple directions that fills the saturated, they can bend and not break. Once the new pot pots evenly, rather than one that is growing in one direction is all the way up to the bottom of oldest mature bulb (in this along the rhizome. Of course, the day will come that you case, one lead that is blooming), then I tie it in place by either run out of pots or out of bench space and then you’ll melting holes in the plastic pot with a wire and running twist have some decisions to make.

October 2016 Page 9 CULTIVATION

Dendrobiums Some dendrobiums are evergreen; individual leaves will by H. Phillips Jesup, courtesy of the AOS live and function for several years. Others are completely deciduous, dropping all of their leaves upon completion of the current growth. A number of species are partly deciduous, dropping some, but not all, of their leaves annually, at least under most cultural conditions. Two groups of dendrobiums that have been grown and hybridized extensively are Dendrobium nobile and its relatives and the Dendrobium phalaenopsis (syn. Den. bigibbum) hybrids. Temperature and Humidity - The size and extensive geographic range of this genus have resulted in utilization of natural habitats as diverse as mangrove thickets on the shores of tropical islands, with the orchids growing just above the high-tide level, to mossy limbs in montane cloud forests. Of course, each species is found only in the specific habitat in which it evolved. The temperature requirements for each species are keyed to those in which it is found in Dendrobium chrysotoxum the wild. To complicate things further, some species grow Of all the types of orchids a beginning grower may where there is considerable seasonal fluctuation, with acquire, dendrobiums will probably be the most challenging warm, wet monsoon conditions during the summer growth to learn to grow and flower. The reason is that the genus period and cooler, drier winters during which the plants are Dendrobium (den-DROH-bee-um) contains more than largely dormant. 1,000 species and is exceedingly diverse. Botanists divided Ideal temperatures for those species found in tropical the genus Dendrobium into a number of “sections,” each lowlands would be 80 to 85oF during the day and 65oF of which comprises a group of more-or-less closely related at night. These temperatures also would be appropriate species that are relatively similar in appearance and in during the summer for those mid-elevation species from the cultural requirements. Therefore, it is very helpful to know monsoon belt. Most of the warm growers do well enough which type of Dendrobium one has in order to determine its under intermediate temperature conditions in the winter cultural needs. As might be expected, however, here are (70 to 75oF days, 60oF nights). Those from the monsoon certain requirements common to nearly all species, which areas do best in the winter under cool-house conditions (60 are described here. to 65oF days, 50 to 55oF nights). High-elevation species Dendrobiums are found only in the Eastern Hemisphere, from areas where there is less seasonal variation are from New Zealand north to Japan and westward through ideally suited to year-round cool-house temperatures as Southeast Asia to India and Sri Lanka. In size, they include mentioned above. Their growth cycles also tend to be less miniature plants happy in a 2-inch pot set in a lighted plant seasonal. tray to towering, stately species best grown in a large A drop in night temperatures to 50oF for at least a month in greenhouse or outdoors in tropical climates. the late winter induces certain dendrobiums, which bloom The flowers range from exceptionally showy to small and at the end of their winter dormancy, to set buds more insignificant, the latter being primarily of interest tothe easily. This includes Dendrobium nobile and its hybrids botanist or horticultural specialist. Virtually every color and Dendrobium kingianum. found in the orchid family occurs in this genus. Flowers of Most dendrobiums, at least when in active growth, do best many species combine several colors, with the lips of some at a minimum of 50- to 70-percent relative humidity. bearing blotches of color in striking contrast to the rest of Light - The majority of dendrobiums grow and flower well the flower. Some dendrobiums possess exceptionally long- under Cattleya-like light conditions, which is fairly strong lasting flowers, while those of others are of brief duration. light, amounting to 1,500 to 2,500 foot-candles. As growths The extremes range from six months for individual flowers mature, it is particularly important to have strong light so in a few cases to less than one day for a handful of species. that developing pseudobulbs become as large and thick The inflorescence is seemingly terminal in some species, as possible. the flowers being borne in a loose raceme or dense cluster. Because of their need for light, most dendrobiums are not Many, however, bear a series of clusters of two or three the easiest orchids to flower under artificial lights or on a flowers which emerge from the pseudobulb opposite the windowsill. If they are grown in this way, summering them leaves. outdoors with light shade from the midday sun usually is Continued on page 11

October 2016 Page 10 CULTIVATION successful in producing strong growths, which are the first requisite for flowering. Give the best light available during the time when they are indoors. Watering - Water dendrobiums copiously when they are in active growth (assuming they are in small pots through which water drains rapidly). Pseudobulbs should be firm and not shriveled while the plant is growing. In warm, sunny weather, a thorough watering every second day is often optimal. The frequency of watering in autumn and winter after growths have matured is a bit trickier and depends more on the species being grown. Generally, evergreen types should receive just enough water to prevent marked shriveling of the pseudobulbs during this period. But it takes less water to keep them plump than when they are in active growth. Those species that are completely deciduous should receive little water while dormant. It takes only a small amount of water to prevent desiccation for these species. Fertilizing - Large dendrobiums require copious amounts of nutrients when in active growth, when they have vigorous root systems and when they are positioned in strong light. Under these conditions, it is appropriate to apply a dilute solution of a balanced liquid fertilizer such as 18-18-18 Dendrobium griffithianum (or 30-10-10, if plants are fir bark) twice a month. The drainage and light are increased to a maximum. miniature species generally require less frequent fertilizing. Some of the smaller types of dendrobiums also are Monthly applications when they are in active vegetative grown readily on chunks of tree fern, cork or cut sections growth should be sufficient. When inactive or dormant, of branches. When grown on the latter two, a small pad dendrobiums require no fertilizing. of sphagnum moss or osmunda fiber placed beneath the Potting - Perhaps the single most important aspect of plant is useful in preserving moisture for a slightly longer Dendrobium culture is proper potting. Almost universally, period, particularly if the plants are grown inside the home. they do best in a pot very small relative to the size of the Dendrobium species that can be grown on mounts are plant. They prefer to be pot-bound. The origin of new Den. lindleyi (syn. Den. aggregatum), Den. cucumerinum, growths of most species is very close to the previous Den. cuthbertsonii, Den. kingianum, Den. lichenastrum and growth. Therefore, they do not outgrow even a small pot Den. linguiforme. as readily as do cattleyas, for example. This is fortunate When to repot is as important as how in this genus. The because one can use small pots without the necessity of rules applicable to most genera apply here, too, but with frequent repotting. Dendrobiums resent the disturbance even greater emphasis. Most dendrobiums root copiously caused by repotting even more than most orchids. The from new growths when the growths are only a few ideal is a container just large enough to accommodate inches high. By far the best time to repot is when these three-to-four years of tightly clustered growths. new roots first appear. The longer repotting beyond this The potting medium should reflect the needs of the roots stage is delayed, the greater the danger to the plant. In of most species. It should be of rather fine texture, but fact, repotting during relative dormancy after growths have with perfect drainage. The object of the drainage, which is matured can be fatal. Because most dendrobiums begin facilitated by a small pot, is to encourage vigorous rooting growths in the spring, this is normally the time to repot. so that the medium does not decompose quickly and the While dendrobiums can be intolerant of lackadaisical plant need not be repotted frequently. This cause-and-effect culture, attention to detail is rewarded with an exuberance combination (small pot and fast draining medium equaling of handsome flowers. The true enthusiast will as well exult excellent root growth and infrequent repotting) is crucial over every new root and leaf. to cultivate dendrobiums successfully. Because some dendrobiums grow quite tall and others have somewhat Note: Reprinted from Growing Orchids, A Cultural arching or pendulous growths, it often is advantageous to hang the small pots to avoid problems of top-heaviness. Handbook Prepared for the American Orchid This is also a good idea from a cultural standpoint because Society, 1993 Revised Edition

October 2016 Page 11 ORCHID ADVENTURES

Orchid Adventures RF Orchids If you are ever in South Florida, RF Orchids is a must stop venue. The grounds are spectacularly landscaped and immaculately maintained and if you’re lucky you might even get a tour of the private gardens by the great man himself. The show room has a wide variety of different genera in bloom. The adjacent growing areas are home to every color and shape of vanda you can imagine, along with dendrobiums, bulbophyllums and more. Seeing how they grow and water their plants is an education in itself.

October 2016 Page 12 SHOW TABLE

Terry Bottom Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Marv Ragan Grower Tom & Dottie Sullivan Grower Linda Stewart C. Tripp Johnston Blc. Myrtle Beach x Lc. Liptonii Phal. Hannover Passion

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Grower Sue Bottom Grower Suzanne Susko C. Bow Bells ‘Elzada’ AM/AOS Dtps. Sogo Yenlin ‘Coffee’

Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Suzanne Susko Grower Yvonne & Bob Schimmel Lctna. Just Because ‘Lea’ AM/AOS V. F.O.G.

October 2016 Page 13 SHOW TABLE

Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Sue Bottom Grower Harry & Celia McElroy Lc. Purple Purity Lc. Ditto Head

Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Suzanne Susko Grower Courtney Hackney C. Green Emerald ‘Orchid Queen’ AM/AOS Lc. Blue Boy ‘Gainesborough’ HCC/AOS

Terry Bottom Terry Bottom

Grower Courtney Hackney Grower Sue Bottom Lc. Stephen Oliver Fouraker ‘Elmhurst’ Bc. Mrs. J. Leemann

October 2016 Page 14